*Key Word: Burning

Greetings and much blessings to you all !

I'm sure you know about the horrific fires going on in California. We're not just talking about forests and a few homes. We're not talking about evacuating 100 or more people. Try this on for size:

The wind-driven fires had burned 410,000 acres, or about 640 square miles, causing at least $100 million in damage. The series of 16 wildfires has destroyed nearly 1,600 homes. The fires have injured 21 firefighters and at least 24 others. One person was killed by the flames, and the San Diego medical examiner's officer listed four other deaths as connected to the blazes. Over 750,000 people have been evacuated. Some people even left their pets behind to die in the flames because there was no chance in getting close enough to rescue them. The wildfires have led to the largest evacuation in state history. By the time you read this, I'm sure the numbers will have increased.

Terrible, isn't it? A total tragedy. Forests have burned. Homes have burned. Animals have burned. People's pockets have burned. Lives have burned.

There's no fun in getting burned. They are very painful depending whether it's a first, second, third degree or worse. Even getting burned from a con artist or a witty worded salesman burns us. Ever get burned from someone? It's hard to forgive, isn't it? There's no positive whatsoever in a burning. Or, is there?

Well, that depends on our heart. That's right. Our heart. Our hearts can burn with desire for someone or something. Let's take a look in Scripture to find out more.

Luke 24 - The Resurrection
1But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing;
5and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead?
6"He is not here, but He has risen Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,
7saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
8And they remembered His words,
9and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.
11But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.
12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

The Road to Emmaus
13And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.
15While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.
16But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.
17And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad.
18One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?"
19And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,
20and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.
21"But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.
22"But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning,
23and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.
24"Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see."
25And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26"Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?"
27Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
28And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther.
29But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them.
30When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.
31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?"
33And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them,
34saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon."
35They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

What's happening in this descriptive event that took place literally hours after Jesus' Resurrection? Well, two men looking sad as they were walking saw a Man whom their eyes could not recognize (It was Jesus). Jesus started talking to them about Scripture as they continued to walk. The men were loving as this Man kept talking. When they invited the Man (Jesus) to join them for food and shelter for the night, THEN they recognized it was Jesus when He gave thanks and broke bread. What was their reaction? Read again these two versus.

31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?"

Were not our hearts burning with desire as He spoke Scripture to us. You see, people, that when we ask Jesus into our lives, it doesn't stop there. We have the Seal of the Holy Spirit within us. The more we obey the bible and study it, the more we are desiring to learn more and more. The desire BURNS deep within our spirit, body, mind and soul.

Please pray for the victims in this catastrophic burning event going on in California. And, keep reading Scripture so the burning within us keeps desiring more of Jesus Christ and Wisdom in our daily lives.

In Christ,

Frankee